Disappearance Of Catecholamine Fluorescence From The Adrenergic Nerves In Arterial Grafts In Rats: An Experimental Fluorescence Histochemical Study

• Published in: Scandinavian journal of plastic and reconstructive surgery and hand surgery Vol. 35; no. 2; pp. 123 - 128
• Main Authors: PENTTILÄ, Heikki K. T, VON SMITTEN, Karl A. J, WARIS, Timo H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basingstoke Informa UK Ltd 2001; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Adrenergic Fibers - chemistry; Adrenergic Fibers - pathology; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Carotid Arteries - innervation; Carotid Arteries - transplantation; Catecholamines - analysis; Cranial nerves. Peripheral nerves. Autonomic nervous system; Experimental Surgery Rat Arterial Grafts Catecholamines Glyoxylic Acid Fluorescence; Female; Femoral Artery - innervation; Femoral Artery - transplantation; Fluorescence; Glyoxylates; Histocytochemistry; Medical sciences; Microscopy, Fluorescence - methods; Nerve Degeneration; Neurosurgery; Peripheral Nerves - chemistry; Rats; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Sympathetic Nervous System - chemistry; Time Factors; Rat; Rodentia; Fluorescence; Exploration; Catecholamine; Experimental study; Artery; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Surgery; Animal; Adrenergic neuron; Graft; Histochemistry
• ISSN: 0284-4311; 1651-2073
• DOI: 10.1080/028443101300165246

The disappearance of catecholamine fluorescence from the noradrenaline-containing sympathetic nerve fibres after arterial transplantation was studied using a femoral artery graft sutured to rat carotid artery. Glyoxylic acid-induced fluorescence was used to demonstrate adrenergic nerves histochemically. At six hours the network of fibres had started to degenerate, and catecholamine fluorescence from the adrenergic nerves had almost completely disappeared within 24 hours of grafting. Control specimens from normal femoral arteries showed a dense network of fluorescent adrenergic nerves. Based on observations of the relatively rapid liberation of catecholamines from the degenerating adrenergic nerves, we suggest that catecholamines liberated from degenerating adrenergic nerves may have an important role in early vasospasm in microvascular and coronary bypass surgery.